


Attention to Detail

by Sigmund



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Gen, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, should be amusing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-08-23
Packaged: 2018-02-14 08:18:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2184516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sigmund/pseuds/Sigmund
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mission results in d'Artagnan getting hurt, but why won't anyone help him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Attention to Detail

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: That Girl Six  
> Notes: This came to me. I hope it is enjoyed with a smile. Thank you again for all the kindness on past stories with kudos and comments.

d'Artagnan pulled his sword from one of the bandits who attacked them. He kept his blade raised to look for another attacker, but he only saw his friends standing. Porthos knocked out one of the culprits with his fists while Aramis wiped his blade, finished with his raider. Athos had his arm around the one d'Artagnan believed was the leader.

d'Artagnan's hand went under his jacket, feeling the damp spot. He walked towards where Athos had pinned the leader to a tree, sword at his throat.

"Athos—" d'Artagnan started, an ache beginning to emerge from his wound. He did not have a chance to discuss the injury.

"Get the horses, then help Porthos," Athos ordered without a second look back. It had been a long mission with more aggravation than expected. Their tempers were becoming short. An unexpected attack did not help the situation. "Aramis, help me tie him up."

"I—"

"Now, d'Artagnan." Athos seemed focused on the area now filled with bandits either dead or injured. "This will already be a costly delay."

The young man understood the schedule, the importance of the missives from the Duchy of Milan they were returning to Paris. He did not want to burden his friend. The injury could not be too bad if he was able to stand and function. Much was expected of a musketeer.

d'Artagnan gathered their horses that had moved away during the skirmish and a few belonging to the brigands, which would carry the bodies and injured. He walked slowly over the grass, holding the reins of some of the horses while corralling the others to follow to where Porthos checked on the bodies.

"You got the horses." He took the reins, tying them to a nearby tree dropping green leaves slowly to the earth. "We're going to have to tie them to their horses."

There were seven bodies. d'Artagnan could feel his heartbeat in the slice in his side. His hand returned to it; liquid greeted him. "Porthos, I don't think—"

Porthos bent over the body of the robber. "Take his feet. The two of us will make quick work of this."

d'Artagnan sighed. To be a musketeer would require strength and perseverance. His Gascon stubbornness would help him put this aside until there was a proper moment. He suppressed a groan as he took hold of the thief's feet, then assisted in hoisting the body on the horse.

When they were finished, d'Artagnan wiped the sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool day. He wanted to sit but kept up with Porthos, albeit with a bit of a hitch in his step as the top of his trousers rubbed against the injury. They went to where Aramis and Athos were interrogating the leader, a wiry, long bearded man who had his mouth firmly clenched.

"You led them to their deaths. What for? How many people have you attacked and robbed?" Athos asked with a sword tip to the bandit's neck held steady.

"Word will get around, and no one will follow you," Aramis added to the man tied to the tree without the ability to move. "You'll need to find a different line of work, although you'll probably be hanged."

The man's eyes darted from Porthos to d'Artagnan before lowering to the wound. This was the man who had given d'Artagnan the cut when the thieves first attacked. "These are your friends?"

The leader noticed his wound had not been tended. At least it could be used for their benefit, and maybe then he could rest, have his injury tended.

d'Artagnan stepped closer to the captured man. "Yes, and they care about me, so can you imagine what they do to vermin like you? I would talk." He moved Athos's blade so it drew blood. "I'll get them started."

Aramis pulled d'Artagnan away with a frown. d'Artagnan figured this would be the moment when he could get medical attention. "Aramis, I'm—"

"Fine. I'll talk," the leader said and informed them how he and his friends had taken up robbing unsuspecting passersby over the last few months. He shared with them the location of the remaining items they had looted, plus the graves of the deceased. They thought the musketeers would have a secret stash of gold upon them.

"That was well done." Aramis gave d'Artagnan a slap on the back, which flared the Gascon's injury as it reverberated through him. The young man took in a deep breath to steady himself. He was about to reach out to Aramis, grabbed him by his sleeve, but Athos caught his attention again.

"d'Artagnan, tie him to a horse as well." Athos bent to release the leader from the tree.

The younger man swallowed as blackness started encroaching on his periphery. He blinked it away at first, but he was unable to hold it back. "I really. . . “ d'Artagnan tried to find something to lean against to keep him upright, but instead he got to one knee with a hand on his still-bleeding side.

"Are you going to tie his feet?" Athos asked, throwing some of the cut rope towards d'Artagnan.

He did not mean to get angry, but this obliviousness had caused him to reach his limit. d'Artagnan lifted his hand to show the blood on his glove. "I'm bleeding."

"Oi!" Porthos called out, coming to his side. "Why didn't you say you were hurt?"

d'Artagnan pushed at Porthos weakly in aggravation, getting blood on the man's jacket. He didn't want anyone's help at the moment. He just wanted to get his wits about him as the anger spike made the blood on his side flow more freely. "I tried! With you, with him, and almost with him."  

"No need to be dramatic," Porthos admonished, helping him to standing.

d'Artagnan growled.

"How did he know?" Athos pointed to the leader of the attackers.

In the meantime, Athos got the criminal to standing, still tied up, which limited his movements to ridiculous jumping.

"I gave it to him. Are you telling me you didn't know?" The bandit scoffed. He turned with a hop. "What are you, blind? I told everything to some stupid musketeers."

"Shut up!" Aramis, Athos ,and Porthos yelled in return.

The man spat. "You'll be lucky if he doesn't die."

Athos replied by punching the man in the jaw, allowing him to fall to the ground with a thump.

"Well, that's effective," Aramis quipped, gesturing for Porthos to guide d'Artagnan to sit against the vacated tree.

Aramis lifted the shirt and adjusted the top of d'Artagnan's pants away from the slice. "I can stitch this up here or, since d'Artagnan has been so patient, wait until we get to the next town? That would be a better situation. It may be troublesome to be on a horse."

They were now hyper-concerned and sensitive. d'Artagnan rolled his eyes as Athos talked over his head to Aramis. "He's lost blood. . ."

"I will bind it." Aramis accepted his saddle bags from Porthos.

"Uh, I'm still here," d'Artagnan interrupted. He found this amusing as they focused on their tasks at hand, first with dealing with the bandits, now with his injury. He wished they could just whisk away to Paris.

"d'Artagnan? Are you in pain?" Aramis's hand went to the Gascon's forehead. "He doesn't feel warm."

The Gascon batted the hand away. He felt the eyes of his friends on him. "I'm sorry. I think you didn't expect anyone to be injured in the skirmish."

Athos crouched down. "We should have known or asked."

"There was this time when we were attacked by two men and the bullet found me," Porthos explained with a hand going to his arm. "No one else was injured. I wish someone else had been hurt. Right embarrassing . . . sorry."

Aramis packed the wound, giving a cooling gaze to Porthos. "Are you well enough to ride?"

d'Artagnan winced. "I can do it." He sighed.

Athos gave a half smile. "You're going to make us feel very guilty aren't you?"

"Is it working?"

Aramis helped him to stand after he finished wrapping the wound. "You're becoming devious. A good trait for a musketeer."

Porthos laughed in response. "I feel guilty, so it's working. I may have to buy the lad a dinner."

"A bottle of wine, too," d'Artagnan added.

Athos's eyebrows rose. "You seem to be embracing our guilty consciences."

"I approve." Aramis shadowed d'Artagnan. "As the one who will stitch you, I feel that I am absolved."

The Gascon nodded, it was not good to rile Aramis before stitching.

The forgotten leader started to groan. Athos kicked him in response, nodding towards d'Artagnan. "He needs to be gagged."

The young musketeer appreciated Athos's gesture of the kick to the man who had injured him. "Some help?" He needed assistance to get on the horse, and three sets of hands reached out.

 

The end.


End file.
